Two types of rollers blade are notably known, i.e. in-line roller blades consisting of three or four wheels positioned in a line behind each other, and roller blades, more commonly called roller skates, of the “quad” type, i.e. consisting of two transverse axes of rotation, one positioned upstream and the other downstream from the roller blade, each axis receiving a wheel at both of its ends. Additionally, depending on these types of roller blades, the latter comprise a frame consisting of a longitudinal plate on which rolling systems are mounted in line, i.e. the wheels, or even pairs of wheels are positioned in line. Additionally, the frame comprises a device for blocking the foot for firmly attaching the latter to the roller blade. This foot blocking device may for example consist of a piece of footwear, whereby either the foot may be accommodated therein, or a suitable shoe worn by the foot of the user may be blocked therein.
Roller blades equipped with a braking system are known to the person skilled in the art of the field of the invention. According to a first design embodiment, such as the one described in document FR 2 753 106, the roller blade comprises a plate on which wheels are mounted in line; a braking system, comprising a braking component of the pad or even roller type, is arranged under the plate, above at least one of the wheels, notably in the rear portion. Additionally, an actuation device consists of a rod including at least two portions jointed together at the level of the ankle bones, along a transverse pivot axis, the first portion surrounding at least the heel of the foot and the second portion surrounding at least the lower portion of the calf, said second portion of the rod being able to pivot relatively to said first portion in order to actuate the braking system allowing vertical displacement of the braking pad so as to put it into contact with the rear wheel(s) of the roller blade and to slow down the latter. Such a braking system has a risk for the user, notably when the latter cannot control braking, and in particular the movement of his/her leg actuating said second portion of the rod which acts on said braking system. The stability of the user is then not optimum, the latter may topple forwards; consequently there is a risk of falling.
According to another roller blade design embodiment equipped with a braking system, such as those described in documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,094 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,099, the roller blade comprises a plate on which the wheels rotating about transverse axes of rotation are mounted on the plate. Additionally, this plate comprises a fixed portion on which the three front wheels are mounted, and a mobile rear portion on which the rear wheel is mounted. Moreover, a braking system consists of a braking component of the pad type which is attached to the rear end of the fixed portion, the mobile portion is capable of moving relatively to the fixed portion, optionally by elastic deformation of the plate or by pivoting of the mobile portion relatively to the fixed portion, which allows said mobile portion to be brought closer to said fixed portion, allowing the rear wheel to come into contact onto the pad, and said rear wheel may thereby be slowed down. Such a roller blade design may cause untimely braking when the user involuntarily presses on the rear of the plate, or when the road on which the user skates is more or less deformed or bumped, tending to involuntarily bring the mobile portion closer to the fixed portion.
According to another roller blade design embodiment equipped with a braking system, as described in document FR 2 753 635, the roller blade comprises a plate on which wheels are mounted in line rotating about transverse axes of rotation on the plate. This plate comprises a fixed portion on which the three front wheels are mounted and a mobile portion on which the rear wheel is mounted. Moreover, a braking system is formed by a braking component of the pad type arranged at the rear end of the fixed portion of the plate in order to come into contact with the ground when the mobile portion pivots and moves closer to the fixed portion. Moreover, an actuation device is arranged on the frame of the roller blade so as to be controlled with the leg of the user. Additionally, a triggering device is formed by a locking axis slidably mounted in a linear lumen on the mobile portion and in a lumen at right angles on the fixed portion. With the actuation device the locking axis may be displaced when both lumens match. According to a position of the locking axis located at a first end, simultaneously in both lumens, the fixed portion and the mobile portion are blocked relatively to each other. On the contrary, when the actuation device acts on the locking axis in order to slide it towards a second end, in the right angled portion of the first lumen, the mobile portion may then pivot relatively to the fixed portion of the plate, the locking axis then only sliding towards the top of the right angled lumen on the first fixed portion while remaining blocked at the second end of the linear lumen on the mobile portion.
The object of the present invention applies a roller blade notably overcoming the drawbacks of the roller blade having a design similar to the one described in documents U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,094 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,099. Additionally, the present invention is also an alternative design with regard to the roller blade described in FR 2 753 635, notably with regard to the actuation device.
As such, the invention relates to a roller blade, also called roller skate, providing self-control of the braking; when the skater topples forwards, the pressure exerted at his/her heel decreases thereby reducing the effectiveness of the braking and avoiding any forward unbalance.
The roller comprises a frame, at least two rolling systems each consisting of at least one rotatably mounted wheel on a transverse axis of rotation, and at least one braking component. The frame comprises at least one longitudinal plate on which the rolling systems are mounted in line and one device for blocking the foot intended to firmly attach the latter to the roller blade. The braking component is positioned above at least one of the rolling systems in order to come into contact with the latter and to slow it down. Moreover, the plate has two portions, one of which, a so-called fixed portion, is firmly attached to the foot blocking device and receives the braking component, while the other portion, a so-called mobile portion, receives the rolling systems positioned under the braking component; when the mobile portion moves closer to the fixed portion, the rolling system comes into contact with the braking component. The roller blade also comprises a device for actuating the braking component, said actuation device being arranged on the frame so as to be controlled by the user, notably with the foot or the leg, or even with the hand.
According to the invention, the roller blade comprises a triggering device consisting of a pusher, notably consisting of a connecting rod, and a triggering part. The connecting rod is mounted as a pivot link, at one of its ends with the actuation device on the one hand and, at the other of its ends with the triggering part on the other hand. Additionally, the triggering part consists of at least one plate-shaped plate, adjacent to the rolling system, said plate being mounted so as to rotate about a transverse axis or so as to translationally and longitudinally move with the fixed portion, notably at its rear end, and translationally move with the mobile portion, for passing from a locking position to an unlocking position under the action of the actuation device, said plate blocking the separation between said fixed and mobile portions during locking, and on the contrary, allowing them to move closer to each other during the unlocking.
Thus, the triggering device is capable of being actuated under the action of the actuation device for passing from a position for blocking the plate during skating and to a position for unblocking the latter during braking allowing the fixed portion to move closer to the mobile portion in order to cause the rolling system to come into contact with the braking component. Such a design has the advantage of avoiding untimely and involuntary braking actions while practicing skating. Moreover, the pressure exerted by the weight of the skater and his/her inertia on the rear of the roller blade allows the mobile portion to move closer to the fixed portion and thus causing the rolling system to contact the braking component. The pressure is consequently more or less significant depending on the weight and on the inertia of the skater.
Preferentially, the longitudinal plate is slit over a part of its length, notably from its rear end, so as to form the fixed portion and the mobile portion, and to allow said mobile portion to move closer to the fixed portion by elastic deformation of said plate. Other embodiments may be contemplated; for example a fixed portion may be provided on the frame and a mobile portion mounted as a pivot link at its end, with the front end of said fixed portion.
According to a preferential design embodiment, the braking component consists of a rotatably mounted roller along a transverse axis of rotation on the fixed portion. Additionally, the rolling system consists of a single wheel rotatably mounted on an axis of rotation; this wheel is capable of coming into contact with the roller when the mobile portion moves closer to the fixed portion.
According to an alternative design, the braking component consists of two rollers rotatably mounted along a transverse axis of rotation, the rollers being positioned on the lateral sides of the fixed portion. Additionally, the rolling system consists of two wheels rotatably mounted on an axis of rotation, said wheels being positioned on the lateral sides of the mobile portion. These wheels are capable of coming into contact with the rollers when the mobile portion moves closer to the fixed portion, i.e. when the triggering device is unlocked. According to this design, the roller is more currently designated as a roller skate or “quad” system.
According to a first embodiment, the actuation device consists of a rod which includes at least two portions jointed to one another, notably at the ankle bone level, along a transverse pivot axis. The first portion surrounds at least the heel of the foot positioned inside a piece of footwear. Additionally, the second portion surrounds at least the lower portion of the calf; the pivoting of the second portion of the rod, by action of the leg, allows the calf to be supported on the second portion, actuating the connecting rod.
According to an alternative design, the actuating device consists of a part arranged under the front end of a piece of footwear forming the foot blocking device, this actuation part being firmly attached to the braking system; the part may be moved and also the rod may be actuated by deformation of the piece of footwear.
Other alternative designs of the pushing rod may be contemplated; an electronic or automatic pusher may notably be designed, which acts directly or in combination with a connecting rod, on the triggering part. In this case, the actuation device for example consists of a control box actuated with the foot or with the hand and triggering the electronic or automatic pusher.